Where to buy stain?

[joiner_sim]

Hi everyone,

I have got a table that someone has given me to repair. The owner has told me its origin is from Asia and is Rosewood. The repair is to be around the legs, and I'm lucky enough to have some bare timber that has been snapped off from it, showing me its true colour under what i can only assume is stain. To me the timber actually looks like softwood.

A search on google tells me that Rosewood is a name which "refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues."

So, with rosewood not having a specific type of species and the timber that the table is actually made of not being anything like it, I am left thinking I can repair this table with some good quality softwood and stain the repaired areas. The problem will be getting the colour matched perfectly.

So here's my main question; Can anyone recommend me a shop/ website that will be able to offer me a huge range of colour stains and possibly even send me a colour chart for free to get a near perfect match. The owner of the table has said as long as if it's repaired and the colour is near enough matched that will be fine. But I would like to get it as close as possible.

Thanks for any help and advice you guys may have for me.

 

[RogerP]

How about some stain trial packs and mix your own colour.

 

[awkwood]

I would try morrels
http://www.morrells.co.uk/products/wood/11

 

[jadboog]

If you wanted to browse, I was surprised at the range of stains available in Leekes.

 

[joiner_sim]

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

The axminster stuff looks good, but I don't think I'll be colour matching many furniture repairs in the future to warrant buying the set.
I've got a leekes store about 10 miles away, but looking at their website I cannot find a large range of stain, only found paints...
With Morrells, are they trade only? Also, their website says they will only colouyr match for a large quantity order.

This repair will hopefully only require a small amount of staining, I think something like this http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/bin/ve...ource=wilkinsonplusen&setpagenum=1&perpage=10 maybe my best bet. Has anyone got a site/ shop they use with such a large range?

 

[Jake]

Softwood doesn't stain very well, the soft growth takes stain but the hard growth doesn't, so you get a stripey effect.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I think something like this http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/bin/ve...ource=wilkinsonplusen&setpagenum=1&perpage=10 maybe my best bet.

I don't think any of that stuff would be suitable for what you are trying to do. I'd go for something like Liberon palette wood dye. It's available in small tins so not too expensive. Colours are inter-mixable. It's water-based so easy to lighten with a damp cloth after application http://www.liberon.co.uk/colour-with-wa ... cmfA%3D%3D

Hope this helps.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[joiner_sim]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, just had another look and the grain certainly is not softwood. So think im going to use some similar looking grain which is a hardwood. The stain/ dye I think will have to be trialled on some scrap first.

 

[jimi43]

For restoration work I use a powder aniline leather dye from Hewit & Sons , mixed with spirit (meths)...to the right hue and then applied in layers until I get the right match...

Here is a stained handle of a saw that has chipped...filled with matching grain wood...

...shaped...

Then using a mix of powered stains...dark brown, light brown, red and yellow are what you need for "rosewood"

..create the colour match for the wood that you are staining and use a test piece to verify the colour...

...apply with a brush until the depth of stain matches the surrounding wood and allow to dry...

When dry...apply Button polish...

...to give a matching patina...

Remember to keep the remaining stain in a small jar with the swatch attached for future use.

A small pot of each colour costs just £4 and a set will last you a couple of hundred repairs! :mrgreen:

Jim

 

[joiner_sim]

How about some stain trial packs and mix your own colour.

Thanks Roger, I have decided to order exactly that now, just hope I can get a good match :?

 

[RogerP]

I'm sure you will

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

I know you have decided but thought I would share a thought anyway just encase it helps anyone.

Firstly if you need/want libron pallet wooddye toolstation do it at a good price, I use it for the dark oak colour.
Now a project I did last week (a bed) was in softwood and the client wanted a light oak stain. Now for this I normally use Colron Refinded Wood Stain but it became apparent I may not have enough to finish the bed so I went to my local supplier to get some. Non in so had to chance Rustins Wood Dye, 1lt for £14 is good price I thought. Now after using it I was very surprised. It didn't raise the grain (like it says it don't on the tin) and wasn't as wasteful as some stains can be. The colour is perfect and it taken a varnish very well. On to Redwood as well.

I forgot my camera so the picture isn't great but it may help someone regarding colour and whether to use the rustins stain.